1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the disassembly of a selected portion of a plural cell electrolyzer. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cell frame transfer cart, an assembly, and the associated method, for the removal of internal cell components of a plural cell electrolyzer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The electrolysis of various fluid media is well known, and widespread. For example, the electrolysis of sodium chloride brine is by far the most important commercial process for producing chlorine and caustic soda, which electrolysis products are extensively employed in numerous other applications. Recently, there has been a tremendous interest exhibited in electrolysis cells incorporating permselective membranes which restrict gross hydraulic flow between compartments in such an electrolyzer. Because the membranes, typically cationic permselective membranes of a perfluorinated organic polymer matrix having ionogenic sulfonate groups attached thereto, preclude the flow of liquid while permitting, e.g., current-carrying sodium ions to pass, it is now possible to produce caustic soda of a predetermined concentration and nearly free from unwanted chlorides.
To obtain maximum utility from these cells incorporating permselective membranes, a multi-cell electrolyzer is conventionally employed. In this plural cell design, a number of semi-independent cells are arranged in serial fashion and provided with various means for permitting flow of the fluid medium to be electrolyzed, as well as means for electrical communication between and among the various cells comprising the electrolyzer. However, certain problems are attendant the use of multi-cell electrolyzers.
It is obviously important that precautions be taken to prohibit unwanted fluid and/or gaseous leakage at, for example, points of mechanical connection between cell components, since otherwise the full advantages of the permselective membranes are lost. To this end, various supporting structures have been proposed; among which might be mentioned those exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,875,040, 3,926,770, and 4,017,375. While generally efficacious in terms of support or stabilizing capabilities, the ability to disassemble internal components (e.g., individual cells) of a plural cell electrolyzer is somewhat hampered by virtue of cumbersome design.
A particularly advantageous support structure for a plural cell electrolyzer is disclosed in our co-pending application, Ser. No. 866,157, filed Dec. 30, 1977, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,495, entitled SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR PLURAL CELL ELECTROLYZER, incorporated herein by reference and relied upon. It is with particular reference to the support structure of that application that the present invention for disassembly of a plural cell electrolyzer is best employed.
Because of the lack of a simple and efficient method and apparatus for the disassembly of, most preferably, internal components of a plural cell electrolyzer, the need now exists to provide the same.